Bicycles come with a wide variety of frame styles and designs. When loading bicycles onto typical bicycle carriers, these frame designs can make mounting them onto the carrier difficult. This is because most rear automobile bicycle carriers mount the bicycles via their frames. Loading more than one bicycle onto a bicycle carrier can also be difficult with standard frame-mount carriers because they do not allow the bicycles to be oriented in a way that allows the components of each bicycle to clear each other and attain space saving placement. Current bicycle racks also typically have one or two horizontal arms that support and secure the bicycles via their frame. Finding a place for these arms is difficult on many newer types of bicycles that have wide profile frame tubing or unique frame shapes.
Bicycles also typically have cables and mechanisms for brakes and gears on the frames themselves, as well as water bottle holders, pumps, and/or other components. Mounting bicycles via the frames can damage these components.
Rear automobile bicycle carriers that hold bicycles via their tires and in an upright horizontal position can potentially take care of the frame loading problems, but do not allow for dense packaging of multiple bicycles. These types of carriers are also costly and occupy a significant amount of space behind the automobile.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide improved bicycle carriers, for example, that can accommodate a variety of (e.g., all) types of bicycles and other wheeled vehicles (e.g., unicycles and tag-along bicycle trailers) and can do so while maximizing usage of space and storage or transport capability.